Thursday, December 01, 2011

Wanted: A Real Vacation

Last winter, I went with a friend to a woman who reads Tarot cards in Corner Brook. Many people had sung her praises and my friend is pretty devoted to her so I thought it would be something of a hoot to have a reading. I can't say that I put a lot of store in the whole enterprise, but I was definitely intrigued and I am game to do just about anything at least once.

The woman herself was not particularly impressive - just a slightly past middle aged woman in a housecoat. No burning incense, no crystal balls, in fact, nothing fortune teller-esque about her or her home at all. After she and my friend chatted about this and that, and we discovered that we had both lived in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts, we got down to business. Other than this little tidbit about my time in JP, this woman knew exactly nothing about me.

To say she totally rocked my world would not be overstating the case. I will spare you the details but it was almost a little embarrassing the amount of rather intimate details she went into in front of my friend (who I adore but I hadn't - yet - really bared my soul to). In among the life-altering revelations and odd radio announcer coincidences, she suddenly turned to me and said, "You need a vacation."

I could have cried right there and then. Because, dear friends, I most sincerely do need a vacation. I have not taken time away that wasn't related to work or Zen practice, which contrary to what my mother claims is not relaxing, for so many years that I can not actually remember the last time. Perhaps it was being at my parent's cottage on Cape Cod in the summer of 1997?

After a rather tough week of dealing with a potential health-related crisis and having not one but two total meltdowns (sorry, Dan), I vowed that, should said crisis be averted and I was not going to be involved in various unpleasant treatments, I would plan a real vacation. Thankfully, the verdict, while slightly mixed, is mostly positive on the health front. So, I am ready to plan!

Part of me wants to find a quiet place to just sit and read and knit and do yoga and completely enjoy doing nothing. Side note: when I said all that to Finn, he replied that it sounded like I would be doing an awful lot of something for someone doing nothing. Then, part of me wants to travel just for the fun of it. Lucy wants to go back to Texas and the most excellent South Indian food ever at the Taj Chat House in Irving. Finn suggested Berlin or Tokyo, which I nixed immediately. My only rule that is whatever we do, it can not add to the overall stress level, which has been peaking on a too regular basis for too many months. So, airplanes are out (however good they may be for character-building).

Driving to Texas and on to New Mexico (hint, hint Martie!) is a possibility. Maybe go through Asheville, NC? Going back to Montreal also seems quite appealing except that we need to do this before March 2012 when I begin an advanced yoga teacher training program in ernest. I have driven from NYC to Peterborough, ON, in January and it was not exactly stress-free so I am not sure heading north makes a lot of sense.

Ideas? Suggestions? Recommendations? Finn and Lucy are ok with some car time especially if there is some pay-off (read: masala dosa) at the end. We are thinking of taking perhaps two or three weeks in total time away.

Definitely head south (and west too, if you want) Warmth and wide open spaces are good ideas.

Bring a bathing suit, and spend part of each day immersed in relaxing water. (bring a big cushy bath robe and find a jacuzzi if you can too!)Enjoy! (i know the feeling--of being ill, (and scared) and thinking--Hell if i can do this, why am I not doing that--a vacation for you, a new printer(a working one for the first time in 2 years!)and wifi for me.

Thanks Dorina. NM has a strange hold on me too, although I have only seen photographs of it. The added bonus of a small crew of most awesome knitters and spinners there also makes it very appealing.

Helen - my thoughts have turned to you frequently this past week. Although I (almost) daily state my gratitude for my health (out loud - I think it is THAT important), it isn't until it actually seems to be slipping away that it really hammers home what an incredible thing it is to be fully healthy and active. Sound body and mind - there is very little else we really need.

New Mexico - YES - There are hot springs, great hiking - no wild flowers this time of year, but pinon smoke, Pueblos to visit, great hiking, a Zen Center on the road I live on, good museums and we can - at last meet.

If however you need to go to Montreal, and who does not now and again, there is a train. I suggest you throw yourselves on the mercies of Amtrak. Bring a blanket, pillows and whatever else you'll want should there be long idle periods on the tracks, and let someone else carry you over the border.

ah yes - the vacation! and how terrible is it that we most need one when we can least take it ($, work, etc...). I vote for south and not too far - you don't need to travel much since I would think that would add to stress. How about the Outer-Banks? Just a dab down from NYC (maybe a day's drive) so beautiful and probably not too crazy busy...but then I'm an east coast gal. Now I LOVE New Mexico but if I were doing that I'd take the train for sure. Lots of knitting and snoozing time on the train...

I hear ya Jan! But I decided that, given I have 15 years of not taking vacation, I will not sweat the money part too much. The train option is interesting....but Amtrak is just so, so awful. Have to think about it a bit. I so like the idea of sitting and knitting, maybe even spinning, instead of driving. Need to do a bit of research on that....

Be mindful too that the train option came from the woman who spent her latest much-needed vacation (only 3 years late, not built of your stuff!) crocheting 20" square after 20" square and putting dollars in a 14yo's jar whenever I talked about work (ended up being $20ish). So I didn't exactly sit and stare. Still it was a wonderful vacation! Want us to give you an "assignment" like that? One of your friends must be hoping to cover something in yarn somewhere sometime soon...